Wuxi • Donglin Academy

Donglin Academy, located at No. 867 Jiefang East Road, Liangxi District, Wuxi City, Jiangsu Province, also known as "Guishan Academy," was founded by Yang Shi in the first year of the Zhenghe era of the Northern Song Dynasty (1111). In the thirty-second year of the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty (1604), Gu Xiancheng and others lectured here, advocating the spirit of "reading, lecturing, and patriotism," which quickly gained fame and became a major cultural hub and a key center for discussing national affairs in the Jiangnan region. Donglin Academy covers an area of 13,000 square meters. After entering the main gate of the academy, the main buildings from south to north are the Stone Archway, Donglin Jingshe, Lize Hall, Yiyong Hall, Yanju Temple, and the Three Officials Shrine; the east route from north to south includes the former site of Donglin Nunnery, Huijing Pavilion, Daonan Shrine, and Zhengxin Pavilion; the west route from north to south includes Xinjian Studio, Xunle Place, Laifu Studio, and Wancui Mountain House. There are ponds and other landscapes on both sides of the academy. The academy features small bridges, flowing water, pavilions, and winding corridors, showcasing the beauty and delicacy of Jiangnan gardens. The couplet hanging in Yiyong Hall of Donglin Academy, "The sound of wind, the sound of rain, the sound of reading, all enter the ear; family affairs, national affairs, world affairs, everything concerns the heart," was written by Gu Xiancheng. The upper couplet integrates the sounds of reading and wind and rain, which is both poetic and profound; the lower couplet expresses the ambition to manage the family, govern the country, and bring peace to the world. This couplet was widely circulated and became the common aspiration and motto of many scholars and patriots. On May 25, 2006, Donglin Academy was listed as the sixth batch of national key cultural relics protection units. In 2010, Donglin Academy was listed as a national AAAA-level tourist attraction. Donglin Academy